Posts tagged "ouro preto"

Having Portuguese as your mother tongue when you are in a foreign country can be very annoying sometimes. People usually think it’s like speaking Spanish in a funny way. Actually, in many countries people see no reason why to learn Portuguese. But, congratulations to those who try to learn it, and I must say you’re doing a great thing.

Let’s explain why learning Portuguese is a great choice. It’s the 5th most widely spoken language in the world! It’s the main language in 7 countries around the world, including Brazil in South America, Portugal in Europe and also countries in Africa and Oceania. It’s also spoken in Asia as a second language in Macau, and, surprisingly, it’s also spoken in some parts of India like Goa. The wide dissemination of Portuguese in many continents and countries is because of Portugal’s colonial period.

It means that you can go to many countries around the world having only Portuguese as a second language and you’ll be able to easily understand people that, many times, won’t be able to speak English for example. And let’s not forget that Brazil is the greatest Portuguese speaking country in the world and also is the 5th most populated country which makes really easy to find Brazilians in other countries. If you know any Brazilian you’re going to agree with me that we are great people to talk if you have no friends in town or if you’re traveling alone and looking for someone to hang out. Brazilians are very friendly and open-minded; it’s not hard to find a Brazilian friend.

Another great reason to learn Portuguese as a second language is because it can make everything much easier if you try to learn another Latin language. Languages as French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese are very similar to each other because they are all derived from Latin.

Being Brazilian Portuguese the newest one of the Iberian languages, it has been strongly influenced by the other ones. If you are interested in learning languages, why not start with Portuguese and make everything easier when learning the others?

So, are you already looking for Portuguese classes?

Why not learning or improving your Portuguese here in Brazil? You can start coming to our International Summer Programme in July!!!

Hope to see you here!!!

If you choose to come for the Summer course you have to subscribe in the link below (there you can also see more informations about the programme):

Many students leave their family homes every year in Brazil to go seeking for education in a university somewhere else. It’s common to find people far away from their home cities living here in Ouro Preto and in many other university towns in Brazil. But, of course, UFOP and the city of Ouro Preto are a different experience to anyone studying here.

When you arrive here you can automatically feel the energy of this place. The streets are filled with history from the slaves or the gentlemen from the past and also with the vibrant energy from the students that have lived here. The parties, the fun, the studying and it all always with the unforgettable feeling that this is the so called “Neverland”. You can also call it Narnia or, why not, a rabbit hole, the only thing that’s impossible to say is that this city is also placed in plain earth.

Living here, specially in the Repúblicas, is a experience that few people have the pleasure to enjoy. The intensity of the magnetic field of this town doesn’t let you think about the worries of the real world or who you left behind. Suddenly you feel at home here and, when you least expect, you have a family here, actually, many families, uncountable brothers and sisters that, like you, can feel the same aura here.

The “Winter Festival” that takes place in July is a great time here. People from all over Brazil and many others from around the world come to live the experience of tasting what Ouro Preto is. You can see many cultural presentations and also make new friends. I don’t know any reason why someone would choose not to live this experience.

The union people create here is something magic. The fraternities bond people together in an eternal brotherhood. The parties like the October 12th or the April 21th(traditional fraternity parties) receive many former students of the city and make the bond always stronger. The amazing carnival and many other events during the year only show how strong is the energy of the students here.

I don’t know how to feel about leaving Ouro Preto yet. But living here is something I believe everybody should do at some point of their life.

Now that you already know what we have to offer, why not to come to the Summer Course?

The best snack you’ll ever eat. A fried patty filled of shredded chicken. The walls are all painted by people that have been there before. A different place to know in our streets.

2 - School of Pharmacy and School of Mines:

The places where the economical history of Minas Gerais changed. Because of them, Minas became one of the most profitable states in Brazil. This universities were the beginning of an intellectual revolution in Brazil.

3 - UFOP’s Observation Deck:

The best observation point of the city historical landscape. Inside the university this observation deck shows most of the historical churches and museums.

4 - Peak Itacolomy:

A close , yet beautiful natural wonder of Ouro Preto. The peak can be seen from all over the city. A great nature park, with also archeological exhibitions and many trails for the more adventurous ones.

5 - Mine of Chico Rei:

A great place to see and feel how was to explore gold during the Brazilian colonization. There you can understand the suffering of the slaves and the richness of the Portuguese crown.

6 - Republican Lifestyle:

The best way to understand how the student life happens in Ouro Preto. It's fun yet intriguing to see how the Republicas work.

7 - Pilar's Cathedral:

The richest and biggest church in Ouro Preto. A great place to see the religious influence in the countryside of our state in the beginning of the colonization.

8 - Museums:

All of them filled with pieces of our history and also many marvelous histories of the past. The past of Brazil and way to its independence is seen in our museums.

9 - Operah House:

Where the culture first installed itself in our state. Many plays take place there every year and also some concerts.

10 - Andorinhas's Park

A great natural park with many waterfalls and great trails to be explored. A lot of places practice climbing, trekking and abseiling.

Summer Course at UFOP

In July, we are going to have at Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, the first "International Summer Programme".